The French Widow

Hugo Marston #9

by Mark Pryor

A young American woman is attacked at an historic Paris chateau and four paintings are stolen the same night, drawing Hugo Marston into a case where everyone seems like a suspect. To solve this mystery Hugo must crack the secrets of the icy and arrogant Lambourd family, who seem more interested in protecting their good name than future victims. Just as Hugo thinks he’s close, some of the paintings mysteriously reappear, at the very same time that one of his suspects goes missing.

While under pressure to catch a killer, Hugo also has to face the consequences of an act some see as heroic, but others believe might have been staged for self-serving reasons. This puts Hugo under a media and police spotlight he doesn’t want, and helps the killer he’s hunting mark him as the next target….

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Crime, France, Audiobook, Mystery Thriller, Thriller

276 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 15, 2020

About the author

Mark Pryor is a former newspaper reporter from England. He moved to the US in 1995 and subsequently spent 16 years working as a prosecutor with the Travis County District Attorney's Office, in Austin, Texas. He is now a partner at the law firm of Cofer & Connelly, in Austin.

His upcoming book DIE AROUND SUNDOWN is the first in a new series of historical mysteries set in Paris during WW2. It will be published August 16, 2022, by St. Martin's/Minotaur.

Mark is also the author of the Hugo Marston mystery series, set in Paris, London, and Barcelona. The first in the series, THE BOOKSELLER, was a Library Journal Debut of the Month, and called "unputdownable" by Oprah.com, and the series has been featured in the New York Times. Mark also wrote the psychological thrillers, HOLLOW MAN, and its sequel, DOMINIC. As a prosecutor, he has appeared on CBS News's 48 Hours and Discovery Channel's Discovery ID: Cold Blood.

Of his books, reviewers said:

"[G]ood character development, increasing levels of action and suspense, a complex and deranged antagonist, and--once again--appealing Paris settings. The Hugo Marston series now belongs on every espionage fan's watch list."
--Booklist

"Haunting imagery in Père La Chaise cemetery sets the stage for Pryor's chilling sophomore entry, and the City of Light becomes a backdrop for Marston's adventures. The clever antagonist leads him on a merry chase that will keep the reader entertained throughout."
--RT Book Reviews

"Two young lovers make the fatal mistake of sneaking into Paris's Père Lachaise Cemetery the same night as a bone-stealing psychopath in Pryor's propulsive second novel starring affable former FBI profiler Hugo Marston.... The engaging characters sweep readers into a suspenseful chase from Pigalle to the Pyrenées."
--Publishers Weekly

The third Hugo Marston novel, THE BLOOD PROMISE, was released in January 2014. It may be his best yet...

"Mark Pryor is one of the smartest new writers on the block. His new novel is a doozy."
--Philip Kerr, author of A Man Without Breath, a Bernie Gunther novel

"Pryor seems to have hit his stride in this series, as he adroitly juxtaposes the light banter between Marston and Green with some scenes of intense emotion.... And, all the while, the suspense ramps up. Top-notch mystery in a skillfully delineated Parisian setting."
--Booklist

Mark is also the author of the true crime book, AS SHE LAY SLEEPING, which is the account of a "cold" murder case he prosecuted. Published in January 2013, Publisher's Weekly gave it a starred review and called it "compelling" and "riveting."

Reviews

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am all caught up with Hugo Marston, security officer of American Embassy in Paris who performs exceedingly well in this adventure where we find him at the center of media attention after shooting the gun out of the hand of gunman in city park who was in the act of shooting people, seemingly at random. The action moves on to a wealthy family where things are not as they should be and Hugo will be taxed with quite the puzzle to sort leading to a highly dramatic conclusion.
Tom and Claudia have minor roles in this lively story, an enjoyable read.
Please, Mr. Pryor, when will number ten be delivered to your fans?

[Nerd Girl Vixen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is part of a series. That being said, I had no trouble reading it as a standalone. I found Hugo Marston to be quite a character. He is well known for solving cases and his methods unconventional.

The pacing of the story was a bit slow for me. While the wittiness and banter between characters was entertaining, I found that it wasn’t enough to keep my attention at times. As the story progressed and the investigation turned into two, I started to become invested. It seemed like everything wasn’t connected and then BAM! It all comes together and you’re left with your mouth hanging open. It totally happened!

This was a pretty good read. Even though the pacing was a lot slower at first, I enjoyed it very much! I think I may check out more Hugo Marston books. The guy kind of grew on me. I give this 4 stars.

**Review has been done in conjunction with Nerd Girl Official. For more information regarding our reviews please visit our Fansite: www.facebook.com/NerdGirl.ng**

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The newest installment by one of my favorite local authors is maybe the best of the series so far. The first and random subsequent chapters are told from the pov of the killer. I can’t recall that Pryor has ever let us hear directly from the killer but it is very effective.

Series lead Hugo Marston is in great form having been declared a hero for stopping an active shooter in the Tuileries. However a cowboy boot wearing, gun toting, American does not please the French so Hugo is operating under a bit of a cloud. [For those who don’t know the series, Hugo works security at the American embassy in Paris.] He is barred from the investigation but is quickly assigned another case where an employee of a wealthy family has been garroted and left on a stair landing in the middle of the night. This will be the test for Hugo but his deductive skills are as sharp as ever and it is a fascinating investigation challenge to obtain answers from the secretive and exclusive family members.

It was worth the wait for this new book and if you haven’t tried this series I recommend it. In fact I often recommend it to mystery loving friends. It’s best to start at the beginning with The Bookseller.

[Lex · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was gifted to me and it's the only one I've read in the series, but overall I enjoyed it as a stand-alone mystery novel! The writing was tight and fast-paced, and I was intrigued and puzzled throughout the book about who the perpetrator could be. The action continued right up to the final few chapters, when a murder near the end surprised me with a, "And now THIS?" moment. However, the book fell apart for me a bit at the end. The perpetrator was revealed, but I never felt like things were fully resolved or explained, and the side plot (an attempted mass shooting) was resolved too hastily and conveniently. I never got a clear picture of the motivations behind that one, which left the ending feeling a bit unsatisfying.

[Rusty Dalferes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another solid mystery in this series, with some serious persistent issues with the actions of the main characters that make me pause with every novel. I'd give this a moderate recommendation for fans of criminal investigations set in foreign locations.

The ninth in the Hugo Marston series following the chief of security at the US embassy in Paris begins with the internal thoughts of a psychopathic killer planning a spectacular series of events, before switching to follow Hugo Marston leaving work to meet his on-again, off-again girlfriend, Claudia, for a meal. As he's strolling through a park in the Tuileries, he hears gunshots, and sees a man with two pistols heading away from screams. The man raises a gun to threaten Hugo, but Hugo shoots him dead before the man can act upon the threat. The situation is made complicated by the fact that the assailant had been carrying what appears to be a US passport, and the guns may just have originated from the US embassy there in Paris, leading Hugo to being labeled alternatively a hero and a sign of insidious American gun-toting influence in France. Meanwhile, Hugo had been ordered by the ambassador to attend a Bastille Day party at a chateau owned by a rich, aristocratic family with a lot of skeletons in its closets, but before the party can happen, an American worker for the family is found in the chateau barely alive, the victim of an attempted garroting. Excluded from investigating his own involvement in the Tuileries shooting (but still keeping tabs on it through back-channel means), Hugo leads the American side of the investigation into the assault at the chateau, with the good fortune to have the French police involvement headed by his old pal, Camille Lerens. The crimes continue to mount, and Hugo has to negotiate the secrets and back-biting of the noble family to solve them, while also trying to do what he can to ensure he's portrayed accurately in the press, prove that his embassy wasn't at fault for causing the shooting in the first place, and prevent more crimes from happening. Once the crimes are solved, a new mystery is teased in the last few pages, guaranteeing an interesting story yet to come.

The main plot itself is good -- not particularly original (a dysfunctional family of pampered rich folks all with motive to commit some or all of the crimes), but still a satisfying version of the old motif -- and both investigations are concluded well through the regular progression of clues and inferences at a good pace. Pryor does have a facility for setting up multiple potential perpetrators throughout the book with believable motives and opportunities, and is adept at describing the fascinating historical locations his main characters visit in Paris. So, for the main plot, I would probably give this a 4-star review.

The problems come through the minor plot points -- the ones that don't affect the overall storyline of whodunit, the details that are included simply to flesh out the characters or increase tension -- which include a lot of frustrating and, quite frankly, unbelievable actions on the part of supposedly professional characters. Hugo interviews the garroting victim in the hospital shortly after she was treated, and does so not by having her type or write notes, but insisting on oral answers because it's "easier than taking notes," which seems professionally (and morally) insensitive, and when the victim mentions her mother can't afford to come to France to see her in the hospital, Hugo fails to offer any embassy assistance, which should have been standard for embassy security staff dealing with an injured American abroad. Hugo, the chief of security at the embassy, doesn't know that two of his own embassy's decommissioned guns have gone missing, having to be informed of the fact by people who work directly for him. Hugo and the ambassador also set up a television interview with a French reporter to discuss the Tuileries shooting, without vetting the reporter ahead of time (explained away by claiming he was just the next pool reporter up in the rotation), without approving the questions ahead of time, and without prepping Hugo with legal or media relations personnel from the embassy. Hugo later takes an ill-advised call from a French NRA-style organization, then compounds the issue by almost intentionally antagonizing an anti-gun and anti-US media executive. None of these things is something that a trained embassy or law enforcement officer would do. Tom, Hugo's friend, former FBI agent and experienced clandestine officer for the CIA, somehow thinks it's OK to give an impromptu front-stoop on-camera interview with the press about the shooting. Claudia, Hugo's girlfriend and an experienced crime journalist, tells Hugo that there will be "no investigating on this date" when he escorts her to the Bastille Day party, despite knowing that the chateau is the scene of a crime that occurred just the day before and which Hugo is investigating, then steals his phone during the party so he can't get important updates from the rest of the investigative team. It just seems like the author goes out of his way to establish the credentials of these characters, just to have their actions go against what should be expected of people with just those credentials.

Other complaints I've had about earlier entries in this series pop up again in this one. There seems to be no difference in dialogue voice among all the characters, despite their having completely different linguistic backgrounds -- American slang is used in just about every spoken interaction, and the language of the conversation is rarely identified, despite the setting being a multilingual environment. There is a continued frustrating lack of definition of the relationship between Hugo and Claudia, with the two of them even saying "you're my ... whatever you are," rather than using literally any other descriptor (lover, significant other, boyfriend/girlfriend, partner, etc.). There were a few more times when Hugo seems to care more about finding and describing a nice meal, rather than following the investigation to its rapid conclusion.

Other than the points noted above, the writing was mostly good in terms of grammar and editing, with an example or two of "try and" (instead of "try to") and "not the worse date we've been on" (instead of "worst"). But for the most part, the mechanics of writing were pretty solid this time.

I really want to like this series, as it's a decent set of crime and investigation stories, if not the most innovative, but those problems with experienced characters doing things no one with that much experience and reputation would do are incredibly hard to get through. So, what would have been a 4-star rating gets bumped down to 3, with the hopes that the author will really examine these unusual activities for his main characters in the next installment. I'd give it a moderate recommendation for fans of mysteries set in France.

As with most of the others of this series, I was provided a copy by Seventh Street Books, so I thank the imprint (and my Queen of the Book Fairies, back in action after a few months of Covid-19 inaction) for continuing to trust me as a reviewer.

[Sue Ambrose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really liked it. Fast moving and fun detective story.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve enjoyed the series. Love that Pryor ends this one with a new mystery.

[Caroline Pointer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love any book set in Paris. And I loved the beginning of this series, but I'm tiring of Hugo for some reason. I feel like his character is becoming flat. And annoying. And I can't really pinpoint why. These are straightforward mysteries as much as a mystery can be straightforward, while I prefer more psychological thrillers, but Paris! So, maybe it's me and not Hugo. Maybe I grew and changed faster than Hugo. LOL.

Also, in these last two books, I felt the writing could be tighter...that the editing could have been better. And sometimes the dialogue is too predictable and somewhat cringe-y. I'll give the next one a try in hopes it gets better.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Hugo and his cast of characters and the beautiful descriptions of the Paris lifestyle. This took some twists and turns that were a bit odd at times but again engaging. Love my visits with Hugo to the coty of Lights

[Darius Ostrowski · Rating 3 out of 5]

I do enjoy the Hugo Marston novels about the adventures of the head of security of the US embassy in Paris, mostly for the location and the description of the "non-touristy" parts of Paris.

This time we have two mysteries: Hugo gets caught up in a mass shooting in the Tuileries Garden as he makes his way home, inadvertently becoming a hero to some and a poster boy for gun violence for others. And in the second (main) mystery, we get an aristocratic French family whose American servant gets garroted while 4 paintings are stolen, and the grandson disappears.

As usual, we have the supporting cast playing their roles as well: the proper and political US Ambassador, the on-again off-again girlfriend, the LGBTQIA Paris cop, the rough around the edges CIA best friend.

So, overall I liked this novel and will continue the series, but this one wasn't one of the best. The mysteries themselves were pretty routine, not that difficult to figure out. The short "interludes" from the killer were distracting and could have easily been edited out. And most worryingly, Hugo has gotten a bit more annoying than usual (and he could be annoying to begin with): he constantly flaunts the rules and procedures, just because (he thinks) he's the smartest person in the room. And everyone around him puts up with / encourages this behavior. And his smug "I'm not sharing my theory" behavior adds to the frustration. But look past that and enjoy Paris...

[Sharon Mensing · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is definitely a Hugo Marston book, set in Paris and with Hugo up to his deductive tricks. At the same time, it is reminiscent of Pryor’s Dominic series, in which a psychopath speaks in first person and fills us in on his thinking. Pryor mixes the two approaches well, and keeps the reader guessing about who the psychopathic killer is and what the connection between two disparate murders might be. There is a locked room aspect to the plot as well, and this book is perhaps a bit more cerebral than Pryor’s past books in the Hugo Marston series.

The action starts as soon as the pages are cracked, with Hugo happening upon a shooter in the Tuileries Garden. He stops the man, who has killed one and wounded several, and is then officially barred from investigating because of his involvement. A little detail like being told to stay out of an investigation is not likely to stand in Hugo’s way. At the same time, he works with the French police on the disappearance of the youngest member of a wealthy French family. His involvement in both cases is predicated upon the assumption of American complicity in each.

Hugo’s psychological profiling ability is key in the resolution of both situations, and the mix of action, character development, and structure makes this one of the best books in the series. It is not necessary to have read the previous books to enjoy this one, although the previous development of Hugo’s relationships with other characters adds to the experience.

[Kandice · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have read this series since the beginning and have always enjoyed the mysteries. But as the series has progressed, the characters have become more and more difficult to stomach. Tom has always been annoying, and I’ve spent much time wondering how Hugo could even be his friend. But lately, Hugo has become so arrogant and bullish that I can’t stand him either. In this book, he apparently thinks he is the only smart person in the entire city. Various people in charge, from the police to his boss, have told him to keep his nose out of one of the investigations, and he proceeds to ignore them while putting the whole case in jeopardy. He does what he pleases and doesn’t care who his actions may affect. At this point, he is as bad as Tom.

In addition, I saw in the author’s notes that he has a new editor. I’d say he needs yet another. This book was poorly edited and done in such a way that it’s hard to know which character is even speaking at times. There are also obvious typos that any spellchecker would have caught as the mistakes don’t even make logical words.

All this is to say that I’m highly disappointed with this most recent installment and will not be reading any further books in the series. Which is too bad, because the basis for the mysteries has always been really good.

[Susan Cabaniss · Rating 3 out of 5]

These are always enjoyable, as I love reading about Paris and the goings-on at the embassy. My only quibble is that I don’t enjoy Hugo playing the lone wolf. I understand that he has an explanation as to why he cannot share his theories before they’ve been proven, but it’s a lot to expect others to follow along blindly, especially when their jobs are on the line. He can explain his theory without it being acted upon if he’s not sure yet. I get that it’s a method to keep us in the dark until later in the book, but it makes him seem like a bit of an asshole.

[Stacy Bearse · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was a bit disappointed with Pryor's ninth novel featuring Hugo Marston, director of security a the American embassy in Paris. It has all the components of a top-notch thriller, but somehow the pieces didn't gel together. It's not a bad book ... but it might have been spectacular with one more edit and re-write.

[Neva Purnell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hugo Marston at his best. Paris at her most beautiful and engaging. One family at it’s most frightening. One solution at its most complex.
5 Texas Sized Stars!

[Annie Yotova · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you had read the other series by Pryor, you may wonder for a second if you are reading a novel from the correct series - for the first time (I think?) in the Paris based Hugo Marston series, we get into the head of the bad guy - and just like Dominic, the protagonist of the other series, it is the head of a psychopath (in the medical sense). The novel combines two separate stories - in one Hugo is a potential suspect, in the other he is one of the main investigators.

Hugo Marston, the chief of security for the US embassy in Paris, is on his way home when a seemingly disturbed man starts shooting and Hugo has to kill him. That makes him a hero - except in the minds of the people who do not think that Americans should be allowed to wield guns in France. And with this being 2020 (the novels are pretty much contemporary), the story gets a life on its own online and in the media. Except that there are some coincidences which need explaining and which throw a long shadow into the whole incident.

Meanwhile, in one of the old palaces in the city, an old French aristocratic family is assembling for their yearly get together - combined with one of the big parties for the country's national holiday. And in that august atmosphere, a young girl is almost killed. The girl turns out to be American so Hugo gets involved in the investigation and off we go - while his reputation swings from hero to villain and back and his future in Paris becomes a lot less secure, he is trying to find out what is the story of that wealthy family and the almost death there - especially when weird things keep happening (while trying to also figure out why the shooting he participated in happened at all - despite being warned off that specific course of action).

The novel is probably one of the most disturbing ones in the series and the end is as horrific as a book can be. On the other hand all of the usual secondary characters are here - the ambassador, Tom and Claudia, the members of the police we had seen before and Hugo's assistant. And they are the ones that make that novel what it is - even if they are not fully fleshed here, they had been here in previous books so it feels like another episode in a series you know.

Technically you can read this as a standalone - the introductions are there but... the missing backstory may make some of the characters feel almost like cardboard and Hugo's way of work feels almost too independent and too cheeky without some of that back history.

Now the long wait for the next novel begins again...

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

THERE WILL BE SPOILERS

I can't believe I'm at the end of the Hugo Marston series. Please let there be more. I am looking forward to Pryor's book coming out later in 2022 - a new series. The last page or 2 of The French Widow has an Easter Egg for the new series. Tom finds a vintage - WWII era cigarette case with the initials "HVL". Well the main character in the new book is HENRY LAFORT!! So boom. I actually feel like a celebrity because I sent a Tweet and tagged Mark Pryor asking him to please write another Hugo Marston book, and he tweeted back saying "we'll see" but he assured me that I'll like the new series - and I'm sure I will!

This book was REALLY good. It was hard to figure out exactly what happened. There's also 2 mysteries to solve - at least Hugo realizes that there 2 mysteries to solve. When he kills someone who is shooting people in a crowd, it looks like Hugo is a hero, then he is somewhat framed because the gun used is from the American Embassy, so Hugo technically cannot be involved in the investigation. But he inserts himself (again), and manages to figure out that the only person killed was killed ON PURPOSE by her husband (sort of) when he tricked someone into shooting her.

In the meantime, he is supposed to go to the big Bastille Day celebration at a historic Paris Chateau. But then there an attempted murder and actual murders at the chateau. Pryor also has chapters from the killers point of view which makes you think you know who it is, but you're not quite sure. At the very end, after the murderer is revealed - Hugo stops Marc from eating the steak and kidney pie because his sister, Erika, - the person who killed his son, Fabien, - AND sent Fabien's FINGER to Marc - AND who killed their sister, actually baked Fabien's kidney into the pie, and was going to have Marc eat it. AUGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

[Lynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

So far, this is the last of the Hugo Marson books. I hope it isn't the last, but stranger things have happened in the publishing world, n'est pas?

A guy shoots someone in the Tuileries. Hugo happens to be there, and he does what officers of the law do: he tries to disarm the guy, only he misses twice and a stray shot knocks the gun out of the guy's hand and then the fourth one nails him. Hugo has to undergo being investigated, etc. etc. because procedure is procedure.

But then the shooter may have been an American.
But then the gun was a decommissioned weapon from the embassy that Hugo oversees.

Then there is a theft in a palatial home that is only occupied by the owners once a year for a Bastille Day celebration. It's a big fair do do, and Hugo has to go to it because, of course, he has to help investigate because an American citizen was nearly garroted to death the night before.

That's all you get regarding the plot. I'd give it away if I continued.

Hugo's little voice tells him things that don't make sense until they do, and much like the tumblers in a safe lock, they begin to click into place. He has only to check out a few details to be extra certain.

Tom, his best friend, assists by using his never-ending supply of contacts, and Claudia lends her beautiful aristocratic self to provide the complement to her handsome guy in cowboy boots. Camille Lerens again is Hugo's French laws officer counterpart. They have a great working relationship because Hugo ain't the judgy type.

The mysteries are solved, and then Tom, with a bad hangover, meets up with a loose floorboard in the spare room and unearths a silver, engraved cigarette case with some pretty ancient Lucky Strikes neatly arranged in it.

Is this the teaser? Is this the "I gotta write a couple of stand alone, but Hugo will be back" ploy?
Inquiring minds want to know.

[Maisie Bayly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first Hugo Marston book, and even though it’s part of a series, it functions great as a standalone. I really enjoyed it too, it was fast paced and clever as well as a quick read.

I kind of loved Hugo being an American cowboy detective in Paris, that juxtaposition of appreciating French culture with the work ethic and intensity of American hustle culture was delightful. I’m used to reading European detectives, so it was fun to see an American detective, especially an FBI profiler in Europe. I found myself smiling often at his banter with pretty much everyone, but especially the ambassador and Claudia.

The pace was perfect, events to propel both mysteries were often enough to keep me intrigued, but not so fast as to be breakneck speeding from plot point to plot point. I was genuinely surprised with some of the developments, like Noelle’s death and the shooter’s mother’s death as well. I had no idea who the murderer was until about five pages before it was revealed when I put it all together. Pryor did a clever job of including chapters from the murderer’s perspective that were generic enough to not give it away, but chilling enough to understand what the murderer was capable of when it was all revealed. It was sickening and awful, but not out of the realm of possibility.

All in all, a great murder mystery with likable characters and descriptions that were so lovely that it makes me want to book a ticket to Paris.

[Scilla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hugo is going through the park on his way home from the Embassy, when he hears shots. He sees a young man with a gun who is randomly shooting at people. He pulls out his gun, takes two shots that miss and then a shot which knocks the gun out of the man's hands. The next bullet kills the man. Only one person is killed, a woman walking with her husband. At first, Hugo is a hero. Then it turns out that the gun had come from the American Embassy, and there might be a conspiracy.

Meanwhile, although Hugo is not allowed to work on the case of the killer in the park, he is deeply involved with a case about the Lambourd family, which he is working with a young woman in the police. A young woman servent was garrotted at the top of the stairs in the middle of the night. Although she lived, she can't remember anything. The same night, four paintings were stolen from the living room, two were worthless family pictures, and the others might be worth something. The family is headed by Charlotte Lambourd, a very wealthy older commandeering woman who has lost two husbands and whose children and grandchildren still live in the house. Then, the grandson disappears, the paintings are returned, and another daughter is found hanging in her bedroom.

This is a very clever and exciting book!

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Apparently this is the week where I finish reading really great series, but do so kicking and screaming (see reviews for the books in Jan Burke's fantastic "Irene" series.)

I am SO sorry to see this series end. This installment, like all the others, is such a great book. Hugo Marston is a fantastic character and the plots are always complex, twisty and intriguing. As a bonus (and the reason why I started the series in the first place), the series is not only set in Paris, but creates a feeling where the exquisite perfection that is Paris is almost a character itself.

My only specific comment for this particular book is that, wow, the denouement (a word worthy of Paris, I think) is extremely nasty and disturbing, by far the darkest in the series. I seriously did NOT expect that, or see it coming. Brrrrr.

I cannot recommend this overall series enough. It's smart, engaging and thoroughly enjoyable. If you haven't tried it yet, do yourself a favor and dive in. As for myself, I am going to buffer my disappointment with leaving this series behind by starting up the author's Inspector Henri Lefort series.

[Petra Rodriguez · Rating 3 out of 5]

The French widow is for -all intents and purposes- your run of the mystery novel. You have a rich, arrogant family, The all knowing super smart cop that knows everything with out knowing everything, and a really funny/ interesting side cast. There is so much representation in this book, we got POC, Trans, Asexual, and more. For it to be short with a small character cast it was very diverse. The story is really interesting and. Keeps you on the hook. There’s two crimes going on simultaneously and I wished they were each given their own book. The first it the murder mystery revoking around the family. The next is a mads shooting ( which I thought was the most interesting the two). The thing that kept me from loving it was the fact it was pretty predictable. I narrowed down the killers pretty quickly and I wasn’t surprised when it was revealed. It took away too much from the story and made it a meh read for me.

All in all I do want to pick up another from this series and keep going with it.💗 I recommend if your into true crime/murder and in need for a quick read

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good installment of this series. I love the characters and the twists and turns of the storyline. Mark does another masterful job.

A young American woman is attacked at an historic Paris chateau and four paintings are stolen the same night, drawing Hugo Marston into a case where everyone seems like a suspect. To solve this mystery Hugo must crack the secrets of the icy and arrogant Lambourd family, who seem more interested in protecting their good name than future victims. Just as Hugo thinks he’s close, some of the paintings mysteriously reappear, at the very same time that one of his suspects goes missing.

While under pressure to catch a killer, Hugo also has to face the consequences of an act some see as heroic, but others believe might have been staged for self-serving reasons. This puts Hugo under a media and police spotlight he doesn’t want, and helps the killer he’s hunting mark him as the next target….

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably one of my more favoured of the recent Hugo Martson series. Interesting historical background and a great ‘family story’. (Made me want to go to Paris immediately!) Although the initial shooting and the murders at the mansion are not connected, they work together with Hugo as the centre. Excellent pace and good plot devices.The only critique is of the first person murderer narrative; based on an overheard conversation about half way through the novel, it was evident who the plotter/murderer was. The motive however - of a child for a child - was saved until the end. Hugo’s comment “I was looking at the wrong widow” was a memorable one. It also brought up the idea of inherited evil - Charlotte (the aging matriarch) had killed to get what she wanted and her daughter did the same.

[Dail Sams · Rating 4 out of 5]

On his way home from his work at the U.S. embassy in Paris, Hugo Marston hears gunshots in a busy part of the city, then catches sight of the shooter. He immediately draws his own gun and fires four shots, killing the young man who had shot three people in the streets of Paris. The police immediately declare Hugo a hero, though many disagree. Hugo is drawn into a second case involving a French family of the nobility who are throwing their annual black tie party in their historic home. The ambassador insists that Hugo attend, but he doesn't stay long because the matriarch of the family dislikes the idea of a gun-toting American walking around Paris and shooting other people. When a servant of the household is nearly murdered in the house later that night, Hugo is called in by the police to help investigate.

[Joyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another Good Read in This Series

A new book in the Hugo Marston series is always a welcome event. This one is no exception. Told from the perspective of the killer at times, the list of possible perpetrators is limited but well disguised until the reveal. This book is a little more grizzly than earlier ones, based upon the actions of a true psychopath. An unrelated case raises issues of gun control and French-American relations.

As an aside, the constant use of italics throughout the text is annoying and distracting.

The last pages of this story may give us a hint to what Marston’s next adventure may be.

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another excellent addition to this series. Mark Pryor keeps the story twisting right to the very end. Vivid characterization and a well-paced plot makes this a hard book to put down. Not to mention, the description of the food and wine ... fabulous. Hugo Marston is the perfect, imperfect hero and the supporting cast of series regulars are strong and likable in their own right. Highly recommend this book and series. Read it. Tell your friends. Let’s get Mark Pryor on the bestsellers lists - where he surely belongs.

[Jeanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really love this series and I was so surprised I missed the release of it. But of course that was tempered with, oh joy, a new Hugo Marston mystery. Multiple cases are introduced but Hugo can only legally investigate one since he is personally involved in the other. However that really doesn’t stop him. By calling n favors from his former FBI colleague Tom and friends on the Paris police force he manages to find some significant clues. One interesting device in the book is at least 4 chapters are devoted exclusively to the voice of the killer.

[Sam Andersen · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.3 Stars: I was reading the Hugo Marston Series a few years ago and was pleasantly surprised that there have been two new additions. This, like the others, is outstanding! A new feature, the killer authors several chapters, which is a nice addition and adds to the mystique. I really love this series and Mark’s writing and hope he keeps adding to the series. His style is eloquent and he bobs and weaves, keeping you guessing at every turn. This is a MUST read for any mystery reader!! Kudos!

[Deb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hugo prevents a mass murder by being in the right place at the right time; he kills the shooter and becomes a hero in the media. In the meantime, a prominent family, Lambourd, in Paris has paintings stolen and the 17-year old nephew disappears. A couple of more murders and Hugo ties them together with the missing paintings and missing nephew. With the help of Tom, Hugo manages to solve both murders but has to walk on glass while dealing with the Lambourds and getting them to see that all is not well with the family.